In 2005, James sat down with co-writers Hillary Lindsey and Gordie Sampson. The trio emerged with "Jesus, Take the Wheel," an acoustic narrative centered on a young mother spinning out of control on an icy highway on Christmas Eve. The track landed with newly crowned American Idol winner Carrie Underwood, serving as the lead single for her debut album, Some Hearts.
The song became an immediate cultural phenomenon. It dominated country radio for six consecutive weeks and crossed over to the Billboard Hot 100, driving Underwood’s debut toward eight-times platinum certification. At the 49th Annual Grammy Awards in 2007, James, Lindsey, and Sampson walked away with the Grammy Award for Best Country Song. The track also collected Single of the Year honors at the Academy of Country Music Awards.
James proved the success was no accident. He remained one of Underwood's primary writing partners, co-penning follow-up smashes including "Cowboy Casanova" and "Something in the Water." The latter spent seven weeks atop the Billboard Hot Christian Songs chart while simultaneously leading the Hot Country Songs chart, reinforcing James's unique ability to write faith-adjacent narratives that resonated across commercial formats.
